Isaiah’s vision became an important part of Yeshua’s vision for his movement. Another quote from the Prophets that Yeshua chose to correctly interpret is from Ezekiel. Yeshua refers to it in the words below:
Blessed are the SHALOM makers, for they shall be called sons of God.
Blessed are those who pursue TZEDAQAH for they are the Kingdom of God. (Matthew 5:9-10)
I am sure your Bible's translation does not sound anything like ours. We translated it in accordance with Yeshua's culture. It is essential to remember that Yeshua is teaching a Jewish audience, probably in Hebrew or Aramaic, and they share his culture. Later, his teachings were translated into Greek by people from other cultures who did not know Hebrew or Aramaic. The Hebrew word behind the word “peace” in English translations was “SHALOM.”
Usually translated by “peace,” has in effect little in common with its English equivalent.
SHALOM does not have the passive, even negative, connotation of the word “peace.”
It does not mean merely "the absence of strife." SHALOM is pregnant with positive,
active and energetic meaning and association. It connotes totality, health, wholesomeness,
harmony, success, the completeness and richness of living in an integrated social milieu.
This is a very different picture from what Christians reading from their English readers visualize when they read the words recorded in Matthew. Also, the phrase which most translations have -- “persecuted for righteousness" is very different from the reconstructed Hebrew translation "pursue TZEDAQAH.” “Persecuted” paints pictures of people "scorned, beaten, arrested, killed, etc.” Now let's put all the pieces together and reconstruct what Yeshua taught his Jewish audience:
Blessed are those who do acts that make lives total, whole, complete, healthy, harmonious, successful,
for they shall be called sons of God.
Blessed are those who pursue TZEDAQAH (righteousness) through their actions,
for they are the Kingdom of God. (Matthew 5:9-10)
Notice the parallelisms in this section:
Parallelism #1
those who do acts that make lives total, whole, complete, healthy, harmonious, successful
&
those who pursue TZEDAQAH (righteousness) through their actions
Parallelism #2
they shall be called sons of God
&
they are the Kingdom of God
SHALOM would have recalled a very important reading from Ezekiel 37 (notice the parallelisms):
I will make a covenant of SHALOM (totality, wholeness, completeness) with them --
it shall be an everlasting covenant with them.
I will establish them, and multiply them,
and will set My sanctuary in the midst of them forever.
My dwelling-place also shall be over them; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.
And the nations shall know that I, Yahweh, sanctify Israel,
when My sanctuary shall be in the midst of them forever.
The point Yeshua is making here goes something like this:
See the Temple!
Remember Yahweh's promise of a covenant of Shalom?.
I am here to make that covenant a reality!
The Real Yeshua
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